Loads of fun planned at Sunnyside library

Looking for a cool, quiet place to escape the summer heat? You may want to take the Sunnyside library off your list.

The local library becomes a hotbed of activity starting this Saturday. The summer fun opens with the Sunnyside Library Friends' annual surplus book sale. The Saturday, July 7, fundraiser will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. In addition to paperbacks and hardbacks retailing for 10¢ and 25¢, respectively, community residents are invited to purchase surplus bookshelves, art prints and file cabinets.

Next Monday, July 9, the Sunnyside Library Friends group will meet at the Grant Avenue library at 7 p.m. to discuss ways to support the public facility. All community residents interested in promoting and supporting the local library are urged to attend the meeting.

The following day, Tuesday-July 10, children and their families are invited to stop in at the library at 7 p.m. to sharpen their detective skills and discover the secrets of The Magical Mystery Maze, when renowned story-teller Tom McCormack visits.

McCormack brings colorful characters to life and inspires his audiences to find hidden clues in an interactive program featuring original stories and music. Known for enlivening his stories through theatrical dialoging characters and music, McCormack has traveled the world as a story-wizard since 1988.

McCormack's motto is, "A story may stand on its own, but the teller makes it dance."

Thursday of next week, July 12, the Sunnyside library will host a Loteria game at 7 p.m. The Mexican bingo game is open to all local children and their families.

On Monday and Tuesday, July 23-24, the Sunnyside library will host Manga drawing classes for local teenagers. Lower Valley teens must pre-register at the library prior to the event.

The final Thursday this month, July 26, has been reserved for teens and adults, invited to take part in "An Evening with Edgar Allan Poe." Again, pre-registration is required to attend the event.

Sunnyside Librarian Amy Ravenholt also notes that the local library will continue its children's story-time hour on Friday mornings at 10 a.m. throughout the summer months. Ravenholt said school-age children's programs are also offered on Tuesday afternoons at 2 p.m.